GREAT ROLLRIGHT

Like several other nearby villages, Great Rollright is a village of Ends, parts of the village having names such as as Church End, South End and Tyte End. On the western edge of the village, off High Street, is the manor house. The interesting medieval parish church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is at Church End on the far side of the village. For the history and full information about St. Andrew's Church click here.

St. Andrew's Church has features dating from the Norman, Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular periods, including an unusual Norman south doorway which has a very elaborate design. The church also has an unusual early 20th century stone lychgate which was built in memory of their mother by her nine sons.

At Tyte End there is a natural spring which was used by local people for their household water supply until the 1960s and, in earlier times, by drovers. This spring is known as Tyte Tap, the word "Tyte" meaning an artificial hollow from which people collected water. The site was developed by the village as a Millenium project to be a place of tranquility where local fauna and flora could flourish.

About 1.5 miles to the west of the village are the megalithic Rollright Stones. The Rollright Stones comprise three separate monuments dating from the Neolithic period. The main monument is a ceremonial stone circle now known as The King's Men. Nearby is a monolith known as The King Stone and a small group of upright stones (known as The Whispering Knights) which guard a 5,000 year old burial chamber.

Great Rollright is about 2.5 miles north of Chipping Norton, very close to the county boundary with Warwickshire.